Corpora amylacea

Corpora amylacea (CA) (from the Latin meaning "starch-like bodies") is a general term for small hyaline masses found in the prostate gland,[1] nervous system,[2] lung,[1] and sometimes in other organs of the body.

[2] While their significance is largely unknown, some researchers have suggested that corpora amylacea play a role in the clearance of debris.

[3] In the prostate gland, where they are also known as prostatic concretions, corpora amylacea are rich in aggregated protein that has many of the features of amyloid, whereas those in the central nervous system are generally smaller and do not contain amyloid.

[3] Corpora amylacea in the central nervous system occur in the foot processes of astrocytes, and they are usually present beneath the pia mater, in the tissues surrounding the ventricles, and around blood vessels.

[3] Polyglucosan bodies bearing at least partial resemblance to human corpora amylacea have been observed in various nonhuman species.